Abstract
BackgroundIran has one of the highest rates of road traffic accidents (RTAs) worldwide. Pre-hospital trauma care can help minimize many instances of traffic-related mortality and morbidity.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to assess the characteristics of pre-hospital care in patients who were injured in RTAs, admitted to hospital. The focus was mainly directed at evaluating pre-hospital trauma care provided in city streets and roads out of the city.Patients and MethodsThis retrospective study was carried out on all trauma patients, transported by the emergency medical service (EMS) system, who were admitted to Kashan Shahid-Beheshti hospital during the period from March 2011 to March 2012. The patients’ demographic data, location of accident, damaged organs, mechanism of injury, injury severity, pre-hospital times (response, scene, transport), pre-hospital interventions and outcomes, were extracted from the data registry and analyzed through descriptive statistics using SPSS 18 software.ResultsFindings of this study showed that, 75% of RTAs occurred on city streets (n = 1 251). Motor-car accidents were the most frequent mechanism of RTA on city streets (n = 525) (42%), while car rollover was the most frequent mechanism of RTA on roads out of the city (n = 155) (44.4%). The mean pre-hospital time intervals (min); response, scene, and transport for all patients were 6.6 ± 3.1, 10.7 ± 5 and 13 ± 9.8, respectively. The mean pre-hospital time intervals (response, scene, transport) in roads out of the city were higher than those in city streets. There was a significant difference (P = 0.04) in the mortality rates due to RTAs between city streets (n = 46) and roads out of the city (n = 32).ConclusionsIn comparison with road traffic accidents on city streets, trauma patients in RTAs on roads out of the city have longer pre-hospital time intervals and more severe injuries; therefore, this group needs more pre-hospital resuscitation interventions.
Highlights
Iran has one of the highest rates of road traffic accidents (RTAs) worldwide
75.8% of all RTAs occurred on city streets, trauma severity and mortality rate in traffic accidents occurred on roads out of the city were higher than those on city street
The mean of the pre-hospital time intervals in accidents occurred on city street were significantly lower than those in accidents occurred on roads out of the city
Summary
Iran has one of the highest rates of road traffic accidents (RTAs) worldwide. The focus was mainly directed at evaluating pre-hospital trauma care provided in city streets and roads out of the city. The mean pre-hospital time intervals (response, scene, transport) in roads out of the city were higher than those in city streets. Conclusions: In comparison with road traffic accidents on city streets, trauma patients in RTAs on roads out of the city have longer prehospital time intervals and more severe injuries; this group needs more pre-hospital resuscitation interventions. The emergency medical service (EMS) is a system responsible for providing pre-hospital trauma care in Iran in 1977. We hope that this study results in improving the knowledge of pre-hospital trauma care, especially in RTAs in Iran
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